Automatic suction bell and current control



A ril 5, 1932. 1,852,867

AUTOMATIC SUCTION BELL AND CURRENT CONTROL R. L. WHITE Filed Jan. 25,1931 INVENTOR. Far 101w A. W/f/TE.

XM M

ATTORNEYJ.

chamber during the circulation of theoil, a crimp connection and isherein shown Patented"A pr. 5,' 1932. I I i 1 UNITED sir-Ares PATENT: oFicEi RAYMOND L. WHITE, for INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA AUTOMATIC sucTIoiv BELLAND ounnnivr common Applicationflled January 26,1931. Serial No.511,193.

, This inventionrelates to an automatic suc- Fig. 2 is a similar view ofa portion of a tion bell and current control device. modified form ofthe invention shown: in

This application is. similar to my Fig. 1.'

copending application, similarly entitled, Fig. 3 is asectional viewshowingthe as- 5 filed January 20, 1 930, and bearing Serial sociationof several parts preliminary to se- No. 422,107, now Patent No.1,790,563,,dated curing the same together. January 27 ,1931. Fig.4illustrates the parts-when secured The chief object of this inventionis'to proto ether. v o o Y vide a buoyant mechanism which, in addiin thedrawings, 10 indicates the bottom of tionto accomplishing substantiallyall that a reservoir,such as the oil pan of an inter; 0 the beforementioned application structure acnal combustion engine, such engineincluding complishes, has the advantage of remaining a pump which isconnected to the line 11, in

relatively inactive in regard tolow velocity turn connected to the elbow12, and de end-a intake but which for large quantity displaceiIigtherefrom, is the inlet pipe 13. nletment becomes active for securingpredeter- I pipe'13 has a pair of upper holes, or inlet mineddirectional flow of the lubricant. passages 14', and a pair of lowerholes, or

The chief feature of the invention is the inlet passages 15. The size ofthese holes automatic clearing of the screen by lateral may be thatrequired'or desired and the upsurging during flOW intake, other portionsper and lower holes mayvary in size.

of the device removing the suspended mat- A float indicatedby thenumeral 16 has a ter fromthe oil prior to screen engagement dome-shapedouter bellsurface 17 with an during large quantity displacement. outer,lower and largest periphery '18. The

Another feature of the present invention inner wall of the float isformed by the in-' consists in the bowlshape of the screen, Wardly andupwardly tapered conical POT-1' whereby the central portion of the sametion 19, which is connected at the upper end? serves as a bumper or stopto limit lowering to the upper end of the dome-shaped: bell movement ofthe hell if and when ice forms portion 17 at 21 by a peripheral groovearor collects above the current control plate. rangement. The bell 17 asat '22, forms a Another'feature of the present invention small grooveadjacent theconnection and consists in the dished or depressed shape ofsaidgroove forms a gutter adjacent the upl the current control plate sothat the plate per guide ringformed by the connection willpermit thedepressed screen to nest there- 21. Lubricant. trapped in the gutterwill in and allow peripheral stops to become efseal whatever minute airspace there is bei fective. t "tween the upper guide 21 and the inletAnother feature of the invention consists pipe 13. p in the gutterformationv adjacent the upper The lower wall of the float is'indicatedby guide for retaining a sufiic'ient quantity of the numeral 23 and itis suitablyconnected liquid'fo'r air sealing the upper end of the bellto the outer periphery of the bell as at 18 by thereby insuringcertainty of operationwith formed integral with the conical inner wallout undue closeness of fit between the guide 19. In Fig. 1 thebottomwall 23 is shown; and its support which would impair theoperdownwardly enlarged as at 24 to form bearation of the device andparticularly its reing. supports against which bears a wire sponsivenessto varying conditions. cloth screen 25 of the desired mesh. The The fullnature of the invention will be screen'25 is secured to the outerperiphery ofunderstood from the accompanying drawings the bell at the joint18 by any suitable means. and the following description and claimsThe inner periphery of the screen supports a In the drawings, Fig; 1 isacentral, seclower guide ring. 26 which is slidably mount-- tionalviewof oneiembodiment of the invened upon the inlet pipe 13.

- Y The screen is dished downwardly towardtion.

the lower guide bearing and the screen moves with the bell and float,said bell and float being combined in the present embodiment. Suitablysecured to the lower end of the inlet pipe and herein forming a closuretherefor, is the current control plate 27. This is dished upwardly sothat its outer periphery 28 is at the highest elevation and theperiphery is at a greater distance from the pipe than the periphery 18of the bell, so that the plate overlaps the bell. The plate at itsperiphery and at a plurality of spaced portions is struck upwardly, asat 29, to form stops for engagement by the periphery 18 of the bell sothat complete closure of the annular passage between the plate and thebell is prevented.

In the present form of the invention, the bottom of the reservoir 10 isshown provided with a threaded fixture 30 which is closed by a drainplug 31, whereby the sediment may be readily removed from the bottom ofthe reservoir.

In Fig. 2, a modified form of the invention is illustrated and in thisform of the invention, similar parts are indicated by the numerals ofthe one-hundred series. The abutment 124, similar to the abutment 24,not only supports the screen but in this instance supports the inner endof the screen and is spot-welded or otherwise secured to the annularlower guide 126 carried by the inner endof the screen 125. Otherwise,the conitiruction may be. the same as that shown in 11 Figs. 3- and 4,there is illustrated the formation of the inlet pipe closure and theanchorage of the current control plate. The plate is indicated by thenumeral 27 and the pipe is indicated by the numeral 13. Lower end of thepipe 13 is beveled inwardly as at 40 and the plate 27 includes arecessed portion having the side wall 41 and the bottom 42 substantiallyparallel to the plate portion 27. The diameter of the well or recess 41is just sufiicient to receive the end of the pipe 13. A perforated dieor anvil member having the opening 51 therein and the face 52, isadapted to receive the pipe 13 and permit the same to project throughthe opening 51 and below the face 52 of the anvil 50. Plate 27 restsupon plate 52 and with the pipe held against longitudinal displacementin the opening, a partially spherical member 53 is coaxially forcedupwardly toward the anvil and in so doing forces the side walls 41outwardly at right angles to plate 27, and moves the entire bottomportion 42 upwardly and into the inwardly tapered end 40 of the inletpipe. At the same time said tapered side wall of the pipe at the end isflared outwardly as shown clearly in Fig. 4, thereby mechanicallyanchoring and sealing the control plate 27 to the low end of the pipe13nd forming a closure for the latter.

The float in the present disclosure should be of sufficient buoyancy toremain at its upper level when the pump connected to line 11 isdisplacing at a low rate. Its relation to the lower inlet holes is suchthat the lines of liquid flow are substantially parallel to the lowersurface of the float or the outer periphery 18 or lower edge of thebell. These parallel currents of liquid under these conditions do nothave sufficient influence on the bell to make the same descend. However,when the lower inlet passages 15 are running full or nearly approachcomplete capacity, the suction applied through the upper passages oropenings '14 also become active and the increased displacementinfluences the bell and causes its downward movement in 0 )position tothe floating effect or tendency of the bell to remain elevated by reasonof the float or other equivalent means having an equal effect.

Such an equivalent means may constitute a spring or a counterweightlever connection to the bell. Under the aforesaid load displacementconditions, the bell, therefore, remains in its upper position butdescends to its lower position when the liquid displacement approachesor is increased beyond the capacity of the lower inlet passages 15. Thetiming for the descent of the bell may be governed in direct relation tothe displacement rate by variation of the location or capacity of thelower inlet passages and the size of the upper inlet passages.

The purpose of this controlled action of the bells descent is to allowfor parallel surging action of the liquid being handled at the lowdisplacements, so that such surging will wash the screen clear offoreign matter. Low displacement is obtained at speeds below thirtymiles per hour but the average engine below thirty miles per hour has anR. P. M. of one thousand and the oil pump has an R. P. M. of fivehundred. While traveling at this speed, and the same is generallyutilized for city traffic, it has been found that ninetyfive percent ofthe brake applications occur in said city traffic, so that when thebrakes are applied, the oil in the reservoir surges forward and thenreturns, etc. It is this surging at the low speeds which clears orcleans the screen. This act-ion, therefore, constitutes the automatic orself-cleaning effect and permits the employment of a minimum screen areafor operation, and allows warmer oil nearer the top to be circulated atthe lower speeds of the engine.

Surging at high speeds will secure the same effect but as a generalrule, there is sufficient surging by reason of variation in the speed ofa vehicle at speeds under twenty-five or thirty miles per hour, so thatthe screen will be maintained clean. Therefore, the worst operatingcondition, that is cleaning of the screen at low speeds, is providedwith the aforesaid construction.

To insure substantially as frictionless operation as possible, thegutter 22is PI'OVlCl'.

surface and the pipe is minimized. The term guide and inlet pipe.

substantially lined is intended to include as wide a bearing surfacebetween the inlet pipe and guide as is practical without introducing thepossibility of sticking the bell due to possible sediment accumulationbetween the The shape of the bell is such that oil circulation tends tolower the bell and the floatingaction becomes less eifective when thereservoir is full and the rate ofcirculation is relatively large. 7

When water is present in the oil and the same has frozen to ice, thedishedv form .of screen, since it is reinforced by the abutment 2401'124 respectively, will support the bell above the level of the ice sothat there is. an annular channel above the ice and below the periphery18 and the oil stream above the ice can pass to the inlets and thereforedanger of ice locking is eliminated. Irrespective of the position of thebell, the oil which passes to the inlets must pass through the screen.The greater proportion of the sediment, grit and the like, and thewater, etc, other than oil will gradually settle to the bottom of thereservoir and below the plate and thus be kept out of circulation. sincescouring of the reservoir bottom is prevented. The streams supplied tothe inlet passages are all horizontal streams and generally above thelower most levelof the oil so that the edge 28 of the plate forms adivision plate for directing downwardly the heavier and grittierportions of the oil stream and permits the upper, lighter and cleanerportions of the 011 stream to be recirculated.

', Likewise, this plate, since it projects beyond speeds, until thescreen engages the abutments the periphery 18, does prevent scouringaction that has heretofore been associated with the standard pumpintakes now employed in in ternal combustion engines.

In warmer weather particularly and when traveling at high speeds, thepresent invention permits the bell to descend at high vehicle speeds,which means high pump and engine 29 upon the plate 27 and thus theannular intake opening beneath or adjacent the edge of the bell is atthe lower portion of the major portion of the oil in the reservoir, sothat *the oil is taken from the lower and cooler portion thereof,thereby insuring better temperature control in the lubrication of theen.- gine. T

The invention claimed is 1. Anautomatic,suction actuated bell andcurrent control device for suction pump inlets, in combination with areservoir bottom, the inlets being positioned at different elevationsabove the reservoir bottom, of a suctionresponsive bell, a vertical pipeprovided with the inlets and slidably supporting said bell, meansnormally constraining said bell ing incoming liquid stream to the inletsand directing substantially horizontally the'upe per portionofsaiddivided stream for the purposedescribed.

2. A device as defined by claim 1, character;- ized by the addition of adished orbowl shaped screen terminating in a peripheral to anelevatedposition, said bell being, ar-' guide slidable on the pipeandinterposedat all times in the intake liquid flow to the inlets.

3. A device as definedby claim 1, characterized by the current controlplate being fixedly mounted inflpredetermined relation to thebottom ofthe reservoir. I

fixedly-mounted in predetermined relation to the bottom of thereservoir, and upon the inlet-pipe.

5. A'de'vice as defined by claim 1, characterized by the current controllate being fixedly mounted in predetermine relation to the bottom of thereservoir. and upon the inlet pipe, and by a lateral enlargementthereof.

6. A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by the inlet pipeextending downwardly and terminating in spaced relation: to the bottomof the reservoir and the current control plate being associatedwith theend of said inlet pipe for closingthe same. and supported thereby and.in spaced relation to the bottom of the reservoir.

7. A device'as defined by claim 1, characterized by the bell includingadjacent its upper inner portion a peripheral guidefor slid'ablysupporting the hell on the 'inlet pipe and the bell portion immediatelyadj acent said guide being arranged in gutter formation for trappingliquid for air sealing the slidable contact of the bell'upon the pipe.

8. A device as defined byclaim 1, charactrapping liquid for air sealingthe slidable contact of the bell upon the pipe, said means for normallyconstraining the bell including a float construction, the latter havinga downwardly and outwardly flared inner wall forming a tapering chambersurrounding the inlet pipe and closed at its upper end by said gutterprotected guide.

9. A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by the bell includingadjacent its upper inner portion a peripheral guide for slidablysupporting the bell on the inlet pipe and the bell portion immediatelyadjacent said guide being arranged in gutter formation for trappingliquid for air sealing the slidable contact of the bell upon the pipe,said means for normally constraining the bell including a floatconstruction, the latter ha ving a downwardly and outwardly flared inherWall forming a tapering chamber surrounding the inlet pipe and closed atits upper end by said gutter protected guide, and by the addition ofmeans integral with the current control plate and projecting upwardlytherefrom for engagement by the bell construction for limiting thelowest por tion of the bell. to a predetermined spacing between theouter periphery of the bell and the overlapping portion of the plate.

10. A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by the bell includingadjacent its upper inner portion a peripheral guide for slidablysupporting the bell on the inlet pipe and the bell portion immediatelyadjacent said guide being arranged in gutter formation for trappingliquid for air sealing the slidable contact of the bell upon the pipe,said means for normally constraining the bell including a floatconstruction, the latter having a downwardly and outwardly flared innerwall form ng a tapering chamber surrounding the inlet pipe and closed atits upper end by said gutter protected guide, and by the addition ofmeans integral with the current control plate and projecting upwardlytherefrom for engagement by the bell construct-ion for limiting thelowest portion of the bell to a predetermined spacing between the outerperiphery of the bell and the overlapping portion of the plate, and bythe further add tion of a screen, the same extending inwardly toward theinlet pipe and terminating in a peripheral guide .slidably mounted uponthe inlet pipe, said screen be ing dished downwardly and arranged forice engagement for limiting lowering movement of the bell and preventingice locking.

11. In an automatic suction bell construction for internal combustionengines including a lubricant circulating pump and reservoir, thecombination of an intake pipe. :1 bell slidably mounted thereon, andnormally constrained toward elevated position and movable downwardly bythe suct on in opposition to such constraint, a control platetherebeneath and toward which the bell moves in pump operation andoverlapping the outer periphery of the bell, and a pair of spaced linedguides for frictionless aligned mounting of the bell upon the pipe.

12. A device as defined by claim 11, characterized by an upwardly andinwardly inclined tubular portion carried by the bell and interposedbetween the outer surface of the bell and the pipe for regulating thedescent of the bell when subjected to suction.

13. A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by an upwardly andinwardly inclined tubular portion carried by the bell and interposedbetween the outer surface of the bell and the pipe for regulating thedescent of the bell when subjected to suction.

14. A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by the means fornormally constraining the bell toward an elevated position, comprising afloat included in said bell construction.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

RAYMOND L. WHITE.

